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IMG Prelim Surgery Resident Failed The Match

13K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  abeer 
#1 ·
Hello, I am an IMG trying to do my surgery residency in the US, finished med school in December of 2009, I practiced 1 year as general practitioner in my country and then traveled to the US on December of 2010, I took the USMLE on 2011

Step 1 248 first attempt.
Step 2 CK 248 first attempt.
Step 2 CS Pass on first attempt.
Step 3 218 first attempt.
2 papers published in medschool, not in the area of surgery.
Basic reseach experience in tropical medicine.
Fluent in english and spanish,
1 year of USCE as a preliminary resident in General surgery in a University program.
ABSITE 32nd Percentile :(.

I applied to the 2012 match and matched for a Preliminary position in General Surgery. I have worked really hard, and did my best yet in my program they took 6 preliminary residents and are only keeping 3 for next year as second year prelims.

I applied again this year to 130 programs of General Surgery and did not even get 1 interview, I have also submitted applications for 2nd year prelims through APDS.org without any success, my visa expires in June 30th and I have to return to my country because I am on a J1 visa, I tried to get a research position but I can only renew my J1 through the ECFMG and I have to be enrolled in a residency program for that, so research here in the US is out of the question.

This process has turned really frustrating to me, I don't know what else to do, my program left me by myself on my attempt to find a position and they really don't care what happens to their prelims as the other two residents will also have to return to their countries because either of us were able to find a position. For anyone there that has any advice please! I am all ears, I don't think that applying this year again to the match would be any different, but I don't know what else to do and I really Just want to do SUrgery. I am open to all suggestions.
 
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#2 ·
It's very tough to get into categorical surgery.

I would suggest you change your career path by looking for other specialty, such as Family Medicine. This is if you insist on staying in USA otherwise just return to your country.

I am sorry that my solution does not seem nice but that's the only thing I can think of.

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#3 ·
heyy.. im preparing for step 1 right now, so cant give you any valuable advise on this, but just wanted to say one thing, dont lose hope, if surgery is your dream, then do it... and keep trying... try this year, if you dont get matched, then change the country, there are many other countries where you can apply and get good positions...... but dont change your dream... im saying this coz i myself has a dream of getting into very very competitive field... i'll try my best, if i dont get matched, then still i'll achieve my goal from somewhere else...
sorry my advise wont be any help to you i know, but just dont give up !!
 
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